Ruby: (once Jade and Citrine left) Back to my point. He's not completely from my homeworld.

Plot

[The episode opens on a beach in Charm City, across which Onyx carries a sleeping bag to the temple. Inside the temple, he reaches a doorway and opens it to reveal a wall blocking the way.]

Onyx: (closes the door, sets down the sleeping bag, and pulls out a device) So, if this works, I won't need to crawl through the sleeping bag again.

[Onyx uses the device for a while, then puts it away and opens the door to reveal a large, dimly-lit, cool and somewhat noisy room filled with machinery. Onyx enters the room with his sleeping bag and closes the door behind him. Inside, he lays the sleeping bag on a bed in one corner and works on a computer in another. Suddenly, an alarm goes off in his room.]

Onyx: (checking his computer) What is it? (checks info pertaining to alarm) What? How is that even possible?

[Onyx runs out of the temple, passing by Jade]]

Jade: What's the hurry?

Onyx: Listen, I can't talk now. I have things to do.

Jade: Fine, but don't expect donuts on the way...

[Onyx already ran off across the beach]

Jade: (puzzled) ...back.

[Onyx finds a person crawling along the beach, fainting as Onyx approaches, catching Onyx by surprise]

Onyx: Okay... well, this is new.

[Onyx picks the person up and carries him back to the temple. Inside, Jade and Citrine chat amongst themselves over a box of donuts, and both notice Onyx come in.]

Citrine: Who is that?

Onyx: (sets person on a chair) I don't know.

Citrine: Is it dead?

Onyx: (checks pulse) No. I just saw him faint.

Jade: (shakes head in awe) Wow, are humans fragile or what?

Onyx: (takes offense) Watch it! (picks up fainted person and marches back into his room)

Jade: (to Citrine) What's with Onyx anyway? He's never been so tight-knit about this situation before.

Citrine: (shrugs) Beats me.

[Onyx is in his room, and he sets the fainted person on his bed. He then proceeds to check his vital signs.]

Onyx: (muttering to self as he checks) No malnourishment, no dehydration, no disease. Just exhaustion. (puts instruments away and wonders at fainted person in awe) It shouldn't be possible. What am I saying? Of course it is! I did it before!

[fainted person begins to stir]

Onyx: (realizes) Wait a minute, I can't look like this. (runs into another room within his chamber)

Person: (wakes up soon after Onyx left, and looks around) What is this?

[Person sits up and pulls out flashlight and turns it on, illuminating each corner and wall of the room in turn, eyeing each piece of equipment. Then he hears footsteps, and he points the flashlight at the door from which they originate, thus blinding Onyx once he comes out.]

Ruby: (once Jade and Citrine left) Back to my point. He's not completely from my homeworld. Just his gem.

Star Sapphire: What do you mean, just his gem?

Ruby: (looks outside to see Onyx walking across the beach in the distance) I have a feeling he's going to explain it for us.

[at the beach, Onyx finds yet another fainted soul, becoming worried just as he recognized who he is]

Onyx: Now this is getting ridiculous.

[as Onyx carries Person 3 back, Ruby joins him]

Ruby: So what are you doing?

Onyx: Why do you ask?

Ruby: You've been carrying random people to your room. Surely, I should know something about this.

Onyx: Listen, Ruby. For some reason, these people have been popping up out of nowhere. And I actually know these people. Not personally, but... I know who they are.

Ruby: They're famous?

Onyx: Sort of. (reaches his room) May I have a moment?

Ruby: You will tell me what's going on after this ends, right?

Onyx: When I get the time. (enters his room)

Feldman: (as Onyx enters) Oh, dear, let me guess...

Onyx: (sets Person 3 down) I can't believe it.

Feldman: Okay, seriously, all of us know how to travel?

[Rhonda nods, Feldman holds head in hand]

Feldman: You have any idea how much trouble we're in?

Onyx: You tell me.

Feldman: If all four of us... you, Rhonda, and that guy--

Onyx: (about Person 3) Quinn.

Feldman: (surprised) ...how do you know that?

Onyx: Quinn Mallory. He was one of main characters of a TV show. (picks up DVD set) I knew he could exist somewhere as his own persona... (to Feldman and Rhonda) but you two...

[long pause]

Feldman: What about us?

Onyx: ...I made you up.

[Feldman blinks]

Onyx: I wrote you in a story. Not even that; just some notes.

Feldman: (shook his head) You cannot be serious...

Onyx: And Rhonda...

[Rhonda jumps in attention]

Onyx: I based you off a friend I knew over the Internet. Except you... you had to find your home.

[Rhonda quivers]

Onyx: I'm sorry.

[Rhonda grapples Onyx into the ground]

Rhonda: You! I can't believe you'd do that! Do you have any idea how much sufferance I had to go through because of you?

[Feldman tries to pull Rhonda off of Onyx]

Rhonda: Get off of me!

Feldman: Be reasonable!

Rhonda: Have you ever thought about what he did to your life?

Feldman: Do you really think a mere human from a distant land could create someone like you?

[Rhonda punches Feldman in the face, gets off of Onyx and faces Feldman]

Rhonda: All those people I met and lost, Stanley, Danny, Jake, Juniper, Becky, Jenny, all of them...

Feldman: It can't be true! Julian, vouch for me!

Onyx: (gets up) I--

Rhonda: (to Onyx) Shut up!

Quinn: (from out of nowhere) Stop it, both of you!

[everyone in the room stops]

Quinn: (comes in) Listen, all of you. Seriously, arguing because of one guy?

Rhonda: He created me.

Quinn: Who are you?

Rhonda: Rhonda.

Quinn: And what did he do?

Rhonda: He cost me a lot of friends.

Quinn: I've been to parallel worlds, too. I used to have friends, but they're all dead. You don't think I know how it feels?

Feldman: I know how that feels, too. I'm trying to get back home, too. But you can't exactly blame someone just because they wrote a biography on you.

Onyx: That's the thing. (takes out notes) Feldman, you never visited this world. In fact, you didn't even travel within this month. Where'd you even come from?

Feldman: Nazi Italy.

Onyx: How?

Feldman: (thinks) ...I don't know.

Onyx: And Rhonda... you were supposed to be... half-dead by now.

[Rhonda starts to steam up]

Onyx: But you aren't. You survived.

[Rhonda slaps Onyx in the face, then pulls back to notice make-up on her hand]

Rhonda: (astonished) ...What?

[Rhonda sees Onyx with a slap mark on face, showing a bit more of his true-colored skin]

Rhonda: What are you?

[Rhonda takes out a gun from her pocket, Feldman and Quinn try to restrain her]

Quinn: What are you doing?!

Rhonda: No wonder I've been suffering all my life. (trying to struggle out of it) He isn't even human.

[Ruby and Star Sapphire storm into the room, Rhonda, out of desperation, kicks back Feldman and Quinn and pulls the trigger. Ruby and Star Sapphire duck from the first shot, but the gun runs out of bullets after the first shot.]

Star Sapphire: So these are the three? The girl seems a bit hasty.

Rhonda: (stammers) I...

Ruby: Just calm down.

Onyx: Why didn't you listen to me?

Ruby: Star insisted on listening in. Good thing she did.

Onyx: Well... (looks at the three travelers) Yeah. The truth is... I'm not human anymore.

[Onyx takes a hand-towel and wipes the make-up off his face, showing his true skin]

Onyx: I used to be like you, traveling from parallel Earth to parallel Earth. The only thing was, one day, I stopped by this Earth... and it took over my life.

Feldman: Man, I don't see how you can lose your humanity from this world.

Onyx: It was a choice. A choice I made not too long ago.

Rhonda: What choice?

Onyx: (turns his head away) I prefer not to talk about it.

Ruby: Do you know where these people came from?

Onyx: No idea.

Ruby: I'll take a look. (leaves)

Star Sapphire: So, will you give me an introduction?

Onyx: Right. There's Feldman, Quinn, and the one losing herself is Rhonda.

Rhonda: (still in shock) I'm fine...

Quinn: What are you?

Star Sapphire: I'm Star Sapphire, and the red one is Ruby. And you already know him. (notes Onyx, Onyx nods) We're part of a group called the Enchanted Gems. We're kinda the protectors of this city, and maybe the Earth...

Quinn: Not bad.

Star Sapphire: Wait, Onyx?

Onyx: Yeah?

Feldman: Wait, your name isn't Julian?

Onyx: That was my name when I was human. Now they call me Onyx, after the gem I hold. (reveals gem on right wrist)

Star Sapphire: Yeah, about that. Ruby says you're not from his homeworld, but your gem is. What's that about?

Ruby: (rushes in) Onyx, you need to see this.

[alarm rings on Onyx's computer]

Onyx: Okay, I am seriously getting sick of this. (goes to computer)

Ruby: Listen, there's a tetrahedron hovering over this universe. A four-pronged wormhole.

Rhonda: Get some!
[Rhonda, Feldman, and Quinn fire at the Mecha, and the Mecha loses control to Fusion Gem; both sides are now even]
Quinn: (to Star Sapphire, who's just beside him) I think I can see the power supply.

Star Sapphire: Where?

Quinn: Right over there. (notions to Mecha's back) I can disable it, but I need someone to get me there.

Star Sapphire: Count me in.

[The two charge through the mess of bullets and zaps, with Star Sapphire leading until they got to Mecha. Star Sapphire helps Quinn up the leg of Mecha, but Mecha notices and kicks Star Sapphire away while trying to shake Quinn. Fusion Gem is better able to hold Mecha still. Feldman and Rhonda watch Quinn as they try to distract Mecha. Quinn makes it to Mecha's back, pulls out a dagger, and cuts away the hood to force out some cables. Quinn jumps off, Mecha starts to power off, and Fusion Gem summons Horseman's Pick to swat Mecha away. Mecha lands with a thud, and Fusion Gem desynchronizes into Ruby and Onyx.]

Feldman: Oh, come on, you must have known what it was like, right? Fighting as a human?

[Rhonda nods]

Onyx: But I wasn't as challenged as you. And I like a challenge.

Rhonda: Says the guy who nearly got whupped.

Ruby: (beside the fallen mecha) As much as I'd like talk about the lesson of the day, can I get help taking this to my lab?

Onyx: (scratches head, winces) Yeah, I guess we shouldn't have defused so soon...

[Fade to black. Upon return, all six characters are shown in Ruby's lab. The mecha takes up half the space of the lab.]

Feldman: You know, I was thinking, between the six of us, we make a pretty decent team.

Ruby: No.

Feldman: ...Uh, what?

Ruby: We're not joining you.

Onyx: I think what he means to say is, since we're technically the guardians of this... place, we're most likely not going anywhere.

Feldman: Why not? You must have immense knowledge of multiversal travel.

Onyx: I like the multiverse, but sometimes you have to rest. (beat) But don't let that stop the three of you.

Quinn: That's the problem. (shows his device) My timer is very likely out of sync with what Feldman and Rhonda uses. I don't think three timers are practical.

Onyx: Which is why Ruby and I went ahead and designed stuff.

[Ruby pulls out six devices]

Onyx: Three of these open up a pathway to any universe you choose, and can locate each other quite easily. The other three sets up some sort of 'bookmarked' universe. It's best to use the latter three for when you finally find your home universes.

Quinn: (as he, Rhonda, and Feldman pick up their devices) You aren't coming?

Onyx: Maybe, but not right now.

Ruby: (picks up bag) We also have a few supplies packed and ready for you.

Feldman: (gets bag) Thank you.

Rhonda: I can hold the supplies. (takes bag and stuffs it in her backpack)

Ruby: Of course, those are just a few essentials. We kinda kept the list short, because we didn't want you lugging around such a heavy pack.

Rhonda: (pats backpack) I can use more. This is no ordinary backpack.

Ruby: You sure? Let's put that to the test. (Ruby and Rhonda leave)

Star Sapphire: So, Onyx, you said you traveled the multiverse?

Onyx: I have.

Star Sapphire: What's it like?

Onyx: You'd have to see it for yourself. Maybe someday.

Feldman: Just don't go into a world where your country's socioeconomic status differs from what you're used to. Nazis don't like Communists.

Quinn: You don't know the half of it.

Star Sapphire: Wait, what are you?

[meanwhile, Rhonda packs a lot of items in a backpack that could hold a lot more than it appears]

Ruby: You weren't kidding. You sure you can lift that?

Rhonda: The backpack itself is five pounds. I'll be fine.

Ruby: What was with you trying to shoot someone?

[Rhonda suddenly becomes uncomfortable]

Ruby: I knew him for a while now. Just because he isn't as human anymore, doesn't mean his human reasoning's gone. You know what? I can even say you were lucky to meet him.

Rhonda: How long did you know him?

Ruby: I practically created him. But anyway, if that's all you need, you should really go back with the others.

Rhonda: What about you? Where did you come from?

Ruby: As complicated as Onyx's story is, mine is much more so.

[Rhonda stands there confused]

Ruby: Anyway, get going.

[Rhonda leaves to meet with the other four]

Onyx: So, ready to go?

Rhonda: Sorry about before.

Onyx: It was bound to happen someday.

Feldman: So... (takes out device) Where to first?

Quinn: How about this one? (types something in on his device; the other two check his device and nod their heads)

Feldman: Sounds fun.

Rhonda: Don't be too quick. The last 'fun' universe I visited ended up with a broken treehouse.

Feldman: Doesn't seem too bad.

Rhonda: The treehouse could travel through time.

Quinn: (winces) Yeah...

[Quinn forms a wormhole from his device]

Quinn: (to Onyx) So, next time, right?

Onyx: Yeah.

Quinn: Good to know. I'll see you next time.

Feldman: Where's Ruby?

Rhonda: He's out doing some stuff. Don't worry; he says bye too.

Star Sapphire: Send something back, will you?

Rhonda: Will do.

[The three travelers wave, and Rhonda and Quinn go through the wormhole]

Feldman: Oh, and Onyx?

Onyx: Yeah?

Feldman: Thanks for not being a god.

[Onyx is stunned by such a statement as Feldman leaves through the wormhole and the wormhole closes]

Star Sapphire: He got you good.

Onyx: It doesn't matter. They're safe.

Star Sapphire: Onyx... you amuse me.

Onyx: How?

Star Sapphire: (thinks) Just the way you are, really. You and your tending over the little things.

Onyx: It's not like you know what it's like.

[Pause.]

Star Sapphire: Well, I'll talk to you later. Got to see what Citrine and Jade are up to.

Onyx: Alright.

[Star Sapphire leaves the lab, while Onyx hangs around before he, too, leaves for his room. Once he enters his room, he lies down on his bed, gazing upward at the ceiling, deep in thought. Meanwhile, Star Sapphire meet with Jade and Citrine, both of which hanging around in silence, and the three spend the rest of the day watching the day pass. Ruby eventually comes out to meet the broken-down mecha face-to-face in his lab.]

Features

Characters (in order of appearance)

Trivia

Feldman and Rhonda were created by the author for other stories, none of which, as of yet, have been released.

Quinn Mallory is one of the main characters from the late-1990s sci-fi show Sliders, featuring multiversal travel as its main concept.

The Quinn in this story is from an alternate reality; in this alternate reality, the events of Sliders happened about 15 years after they originally did, and his partners (Wade Welles, Maximillian Arturo, and Rembrandt Brown) have all perished somewhere along their travels before this point.

Rhonda mentions six characters she traveled with, who she presumably lost:

Stanley Lambchop was from the Flat Stanley book series.

Danny is the namesake character from Danny Phantom.

Jake Long was from American Dragon: Jake Long.

Juniper Lee was from the TV series The Life and Times of Juniper Lee.

Becky Bottsford was from the TV series WordGirl.

Jenny Wakeman (XJ9) came from the TV series My Life As a Teenage Robot.

Rhonda also mentions a tree-house that could travel through time, referencing the Magic Tree House book series.

Diamond is only briefly mentioned in this story. In the RP this story is based off, Diamond's supersonic scream caused Jade's hearing loss.

Production Notes

This episode was produced ahead of schedule due to the waiting period for Episode 2 to air.